


Wine and Sentiment

by Kai_Heartnet



Series: Bullets and Numbering [1]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Accidents Happen, Dionysus and Eros are the main pairings, Forgive me if my Greek is lacking, In drabble-ish form, M/M, More pairings will appear as this progresses, More tags will be added as this progresses, Not In Chronological Order, This came to me at random, This is a side-project and for that I'm sorry, This jumps from ancient times to modern
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-03-12 09:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3351062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_Heartnet/pseuds/Kai_Heartnet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>WARNING: I suck at summaries, and this will be no different.</p><p>When Aphrodite cheated on her husband with Ares, it was Eros who was blamed for the transgression; and when Hades kidnapped Persephone, it is again Love who is to blame; and when Hera is fed up with Zeus' choice of how he spend his free time, she does it. She banishes Love to Earth where the petty humans can fight over him. But no one ever bothered to ask Love his side. No one bothered to actually fight for Love. But as Eros can attest to, Love can come from the unlikeliest of sources.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I won't lie. It's late and this has been floating around in my head for months now, so I decided, "Why not?" This is done on my hiatus to my other fics, and I can't promise the updates will be frequent, but I appreciate any hits this might get! Enjoy!

Mount Olympus, foolishly perhaps, was always thought of as a warm and beautiful place. Each god and goddess that ruled there had had their own personal say in how everything was arranged. There was a large pool at the base of the mountain where Poseidon and Aphrodite joked about their youths, and there were hundreds of bookcases where Athena spent her time, usually curled in a contemplative restlessness. Deep in the mountain's core sat Hephaestus' forges where he created thousands of little devices that he would later disassemble due to disuse, and there were several little alcoves where Hermes hid all the little things he'd stolen and the messages he didn't want to deliver just yet. There was so much and more to Mount Olympus, but it could never be considered warm. The same place that seemed so welcoming and accommodating was the same prison for poor Ganymede. It was the same hellhole for the minor gods and goddesses that didn't measure up in everyone's eyes. Where they played servant to those who were more well-known.  
It was here, on Mount Olympus that my fate was sealed. The great twelve-- Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Hermes, Ares, Hades, Hephaestus, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, and Dionysus-- sat on their thrones, glaring down at me. They shouted their rage and spat their curses, but it didn't really matter because I knew they were just scared.  
When "true love" and "soul mates" were thought of, everyone referenced it to my mother, Aphrodite. She represented the purest form of love which was laughable in itself, but it was still what everyone believed. Hera thanked Mother for her union with Zeus, and millions of mortals worshiped her, praying for such a "perfect" union. But when "jealous lovers" and "one-night-stands" came to mind, it seemed to always fall onto my side of the fence. I never attested to it being incorrect. I didn't understand the power I had anymore than those who damned me for it. Wars were waged over love- as Ares loved to remind me- lives were lost to love. People went insane because of it, and love ruined thousands; but love also saved. I'd seen love protect families and give hope to the hopeless which isn't even in my realm to control. But no one remembers this when they accuse me.  
Zeus remembers Io. I remembered her as clearly as if she were still before me in her human form. She had never been particularly smitten with our king, but Zeus himself had been head-over-heels for the beautiful mortal. She was more than beautiful, though. She was smart and clever, and her eyes hid a wisdom that she knew better than to share with her peers. She'd felt safe around Zeus, and I could sense the growing infatuation between them. I had warned Zeus what would happen if he pursued her, but what did I know? My brand of love was flawed, and Zeus was anything but. So what did I know? I did know, just as surely as Hera did when she turned poor Io into a cow for daring to look at Zeus with anything more than reverence.  
Hera remembers Ganymede. It was sore spot around the pantheon considering Zeus refused to release the young prince, who wouldn't know how to cope with the world that left him behind. She sees him as a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity, and a personal slap considering that was kind of her thing. She was the goddess of fidelity and happy marriages. People sacrificed nearly anything to achieve her blessing for their union, and she couldn't even keep her husband in her bed. But it wasn't really Zeus she blamed. He was only a victim, after all.  
Hades refused to believe in me at all. In his eyes, I was little more than a mite, and he couldn't be bothered. I knew he'd had his eye on Persephone, but after enough threats and dirty looks, we both knew I wasn't going to say anything about it. According to His Darkness, he couldn't fall in love. The fact that I knew he could was what was condemning me now.  
Our pantheon wasn't a democracy. There were no votes, no senate, no debate. The only reason everyone was gathered was to hear Zeus' decree. Hera had had a say in it, being his wife, but ultimately what would become of me would be because of Zeus and his twisted sense of justice. It was his cold blue eyes that glared down at me. His long, dark blonde hair gave him a false sense of purity I knew he didn't hold. I didn't bother to struggle against the ties that bound me. Even if I escaped, I wouldn't have anywhere to go. They would find me, and I'd be exactly where I am now, probably worse for wear. Though, granted, I wasn't too well now.  
My feet and back were bleeding from where I was whipped, and the tight rope- provided by Artemis- cut in deep where it crisscrossed over my shoulders and chest and bit into my wrists and ankles. My face was mostly obscured by the muzzle that had been forced onto me, and the only thing that I could freely move were my eyes which were busy glaring at them all. Some had the decency to look sheepish, others guilty, but most held the same heated glare as Zeus.  
"Eros, your crimes go without dispute or mentioning. You have maliciously attacked your kin with your false ideas of love, and you have lost your right to call yourself a god. I sentence you to live in the mud with the mortals you claim to help for as long as they last."  
Dionysus glanced at Zeus almost crossly, but didn't say anything. His eye color always changed, varying between wines, and his hair was a honeyed brown that made him look no different than the mortals that prayed to him. He was barely considered higher than me. If not for the mortals' fear of the madness that Dionysus was known to curse upon them, many wouldn't even know of him. Being the god of wine helped, too, though. Regardless, he wouldn't fight for me. None of them would. Whether it was because they agreed with Zeus or were too afraid of him to openly disagree, I knew no help would come. Or at least, I didn't think any of them would.  
"As long as they last? That seems pretty half-assed," Hades scoffed, to everyone's amazement. Hades was all shadows and flair. His black hair was brushed out of his pale face, and his eyes gleamed like obsidian. Zeus spluttered before falling into an awkward silence that could only be held between brothers. Hades took that as a sign to continue. "Only Apollo and his Oracle are actually certain when that end will come, and unlike you all, I don't enjoy sitting around waiting for one singular event to pass."  
"Are you saying we kill him?" Dionysus half whispered, half growled. Hades raised a perfectly arched dark eyebrow, challenging. Dionysus scoffed, his champagne-colored eyes darkening to claret in anger. "He doesn't deserve that."  
"I don't think it's your place to decide that, Dionysus," Hera shot coldly. She sat stiffly on her throne, her own eyes a steely gray as she glared down at me. Her chestnut hair was braided into an intricate crown with peacock feathers and gems. Everything about her screamed a woman you shouldn't cross. And in her eyes, I'd crossed her far too many times. I swallowed, the muzzle making it impossible to speak on my own behalf as the rest of the gathered began to discuss my fate. My own mother thought that I should be put to death so that only her "pure" love would be spread. Ares and Hephaestus immediately agreed. Luckily, as I said before, our pantheon isn't a democracy. Zeus raised his hand and the entire room silenced.  
"I must admit, there are... some good points. But I think I've come up with a better alternative," Zeus smirked from his throne. "Eros, I exile you until you feel the cause of the love you so eagerly give."  
I never got a say in it.


	2. It's the Thought that Counts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for writing the prologue and then disappearing, but I did warn that updating would be infrequent. At least, I think I did. Thanks so much to those who've kindly waited for this chapter!! It's in third-person so that I could get Eros' description in. Enjoy!

**_February 13, 20xx_ **

 

The Lucky Lass was a biker bar just outside Coker, Alabama. It was hard to find and even harder to look at. A bright neon caricature of a female leprechaun sat on top of the weathered roof, gesturing all those that found the place to enter. It was made out of wood taken from houses and barns destroyed by tornadoes, and it looked like it had been assembled by a five-year-old.

The Lucky Lass was also where one could occasionally find Eros. The ex-god of love preferred the dive bars and cheap motel rooms mostly because he knew that he was very unlikely to run into anyone he knew. Though there were times, like today, where some of them loved to seek him out just for the sake of mocking him. Eros stood one hundred feet away from the dartboard, the bullseye in his sights. He'd had many years- first as "Cupid' and later as an immortal joke- to hone his archery skills. His accuracy skills were just under Apollo's, and it had earned him quite the reputation. Many of Lass's customers challenged him, and he threw a few games to keep them interested. He usually walked away from a night with no less than a grand.

It was on one of these lucrative nights, when he had all but one this game, that he appeared. Wearing a loose red t-shirt and black jeans that hugged in all the right places, Dionysus watched Eros from the crowd. He'd tried to appear as subtly as he could, even going so far as to walk into the building instead of just appearing like he preferred, but he could tell that he'd been noticed regardless.

He saw the tension in Eros' shoulders that hadn't been there before, and the smile that had been gracing his lovely face was more forced. Dionysus watched as he released the dart and it hit its target. The crowd cheered and Eros gave them a stiff wave before collecting the money and making a beeline for where Dionysus had been trying to blend in. "What are you doing here?" he glared suspiciously.

Eros was just north of thin, making all those who saw think "slender," and stood at five-ten- something that Dionysus knew irked him. When he'd been a great deity, his human height had been six feet. Dionysus personally thought that he should be grateful Zeus hadn't taken those inches from somewhere else. Eros also had radioactive green eyes that burned into him hotter than any chemical, and hair the color of a vibrant sunset. It shocked Dionysus that the mortals hadn't figured something was off about him. Then again, Love blinds.

"I happen to enjoy visiting..."

"The Lucky Lass?" Eros supplied and Dionysus nodded in agreement.

"One of my favorite hotspots," he lied with an innocent smile. It was obvious that Eros didn't believe him, but he chose to ignore the wine god in favor of a drink. There was a hopeful gleam in Dionysus' eye before he saw that Eros had ordered water.

"Stop pouting," Eros ordered before gesturing to the empty bar. Both men sat, and Dionysus ordered himself a glass of wine. Eros crinkled his nose at him.

"What?" he questioned as Eros took a careful sip of his water.

"This isn't the kind of place where you drink wine."

"You ordered water," he pointed out, and Eros raised his eyebrows skeptically.

"Because only a serious fool would drink alcohol in your presence." Dionysus smirked as he sipped his own wine. It tasted awful, but he refused to admit that to Eros. Instead, his smirk turned wicked.

"Afraid of a drunken one-night-stand?"

"You still never told me what you're doing here. This place is nearly as out-of-the-way as you can get," Eros replied instead. It did nothing to kill Dionysus' smirk. If anything, the avoidance made his smirk grow. "Dionysus," Eros growled. The god laughed.

"I haven't seen you since what happened in Arizona, and plus tomorrow is Valentine's Day."

Eros' face flushed.

"We don't talk about what happened in Arizona."

"You don't," Dionysus laughed. "I work it into daily conversations."

"Dionysus." Eros bit off every syllable like they were tangible things, and Dionysus took that as the time to do what he'd actually come to do. He rifled in his pocket until he pulled out a small pink gift box covered in little heart stickers and handed it over to an angered Eros. "What's this?" he asked grumpily. Dionysus still had his smile, but it was less confident. It was that more than his actual looks that calmed the ex-god enough not to throw the box back at him.

"Open it." Huffing, he opened it. He had expected jewelry. Over the millennia, Dionysus had given him thousands of diamonds and perls- most of which funded his lifestyle- and all he ever asked in return was for Eros not to hate him. Granted, the first few years had been a little shaky, but as time progressed they'd become close. Instead of jewelry this year, however, the box held a key.

"If this is something corny like 'the key to my heart'..."

"Well, it could be considered that too, but that's not what it is originally. It's to a house in Sedona."

"Arizona?" Eros glared. Dionysus waved his hands dismissively.

"You can't be vindictive against an entire state."

"Washington, D. C.," Eros challenged.

"One: Not a state and two: Those politicians..." Dionysus shuddered in disgust. Eros didn't actually know the full story, only that enough politicians had gone on a drinking binge that had managed to ruin even Dionysus' already questionable reputation. He swore that he'd never return to the district.

"Why did you give me a key to your house?" Eros decided instead of continuing with that whole trail of thought.

"Not my house, yours. And it's heavily protected against...unwanted visitors. I know you'll definitely have a few tomorrow, and it's better than the places you usually slum in."

Eros hid his smile at the thought behind the gift, even as ridiculous as it was. A house was not an acceptable gift to give, but it wasn't like he could turn him down. Champagne eyes looked nervously at the key, and he sighed. "Thank you."

Dionysus beamed.


	3. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is back in Eros' point-of-view. Thanks so much for the kudos! I still can't really pinpoint an updating speed. I'm sorry for that! Also, even though this takes place in BC, they're using more modern linguistics simply to make it easier to read. Enjoy!

**_October 9th, xx42 B. C._ **

"I hate you on a very impressive level," Hades glared. He held an ice pack to his reddened cheek, and I couldn't keep the smirk off my face even as I was being blamed yet again. It was becoming a recurring theme throughout Olympus to simply blame me whenever their love lives turned sour. Granted, if I had a hand in any, I would proudly lay claim to Hades'.

The god of the Underworld usually carried himself with a level of dignity that even Zeus often envied. If he seemed cold, it was only because he didn't know how to be any other way. His apparent talent for time-travel seemed to be improving, however, considering he had the ice pack to help soothe his latest failed attempt at what I knew had been a pass at Persephone.

Persephone herself had nothing against Hades. She spent just as much time admiring the riches he was known for as she did her flowers, and I could feel the potential for love between them whenever they stole glances at each other. If left to their own devices, they would probably end up together. The problem was Demeter and Hera.

Demeter was being a neurotic control freak. She refused to let any male be left alone with her daughter- even Hephaestus- and limited her time in the mortal world as if she were still a child. Hera added to Demeter's fear, filling her head with thoughts of abandonment and eternal lonliness. It would be laughable if it didn't put everyone on edge. Demeter could- and had- gone to some pretty extremes to "protect" her bond with her daughter.

The latest being clocking the King of the Underworld.

"Maternal love is nowhere in my jurisdiction," I shrugged.

"Let you tell it, no form of love is 'in your jurisdiction.'"

"Love isn't some thing that anyone- god or not- can control. I just point it in the right direction and watch the sparks fly."

Hades' glare could have melted gold. He removed the ice pack and it dissolved into nothing in his hand. When he spoke, his voice supplied all the ice anyone would need.

"Then I suggest you point _far_ away from _me_."

I could have told him that threats were useless, that Love did what it wanted; but I saw that going over about as well as Hera finding out about Ganymede. In the end, I raised my hands in surrender.

"Love isn't the worst thing that could happen to you, you know," I did add.

Hades made a snort seem graceful.

"I don't see you falling head-over-heels for anyone."

Dionysus and Hypnos suddenly crashed into the room, filling the peaceful atmosphere with boisterous laughter. Both were bright with alcohol, and Hades took a careful step out of their way as they continued through.

"I should be sleeping!" Hypnos laughed. "I should be dreaming."

"Another goblet of Cyprus wine and you will be," Dionysus promised good-naturedly.

They rambled out of the opposite door, completely oblivious to the conversation they'd interrupted. I sighed.

"Whenever one points, they're always pointing four more at themselves," I shrugged and left out the door Dionysus hadn't exited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should note that this is all written on my phone, so italics and everything get harder and harder to pull off the further down it goes. *Though I think I figured it out.* Also, I know how to spell pearl, and the typo in the last chapter is very irksome. Just not enough for me to go back and fix it as of late.


	4. Narcissus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because...NARCISSUS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the ever-leading radio silence! Thanks for the kudos!!

_**July 5, 20xx** _

 

Arizona was a mistake for many reasons. The main being the "manservant" the gods decided to  _grace_ me with. I knew it had to be a gift from Hades. Or Persephone. One of them was vindictive enough to bring  _that_ one back to life.

Narcissus was gorgeous on an impossible scale. He had shoulder-length blonde hair that he kept tied back in a ponytail, and stormy gray eyes that were always looking off somewhere other than where they should be. He stood at six-two, and was made of tan, lean muscles. He'd spent millennia wasting away in the Fields of Asphodel, yet he looked even better than the paintings had depicted him as.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous," Dionysus grinned as he carded his fingers through my hair. He traced his fingers over my brow and laughed when he saw my expression. "You're eyes are fit for it. The mortals say green is envy."

"Why would I be jealous of that miserable child? All he does is brood and mope."

As if on command, Narcissus entered, all storm clouds and misery. He was holding the cell phone I'd bought him a few weeks ago to try and get him to integrate into the modern world. So far, the most modern I'd gotten him to understand was a toaster and books, but it was a start. Now, however, he was grasping the phone as if it were a lifeline.

"Eros...?" he asked warily.

"Narcissus," I stated.

"Is it possible... Could I love...someone?"

_Other than yourself_?I thought to myself, but the open look in his eyes made me hold my tongue. Dionysus's fingers returned to my hair, pulling gently from time to time just to insure I hadn't fallen asleep. We sat there for several minutes, Narcissus looking heartbeats away from fading, before I finally sighed.

"I've tried explaining it to the gods before, Narcissus. Love isn't something I- or anyone else- controls. It's like the wind. You get swept up in it, and the only thing you can really do is try and find shelter. You ask if you could love someone? I find it hard to believe that you could avoid the wind."

I couldn't tell if Narcissus looked relieved or heartbroken. He gave a stiff nod and asked if we needed anything before leaving.

~~~

 

"I think he has a girlfriend," Dionysus smirked a few weeks later. We'd gone through a rough patch and at the moment he was really lucky I wasn't clawing his stupidly beautiful eyes out.

"I don't care," I glared. Dionysus continued to smirk, his eyes a lovely rose. "How do you know? He never leaves the house."

"You push for him to become more modern, but then you forget the most obvious thing."

If looks could kill, I'd be reading him his last rites. He laughed.

"He's texting her. He hasn't put that phone down in days."

"It could be a guy," I added as I headed into the kitchen where the brooding teen was- surprisingly- texting. "Is it a guy?"

Narcissus turned several shades of red before going extremely pale.

"It's not like I'd judge," I shrugged, looking through the fridge for something that would put Dionysus off for a few hours and make him leave. There were always strange things that I could find that he'd react to like a vampire to garlic. Last month, it was Chobani Greek yogurt. A couple days ago, it was simple black pepper. It changed randomly, but it was worth the peace.

"I'm not talking to anyone," Narcissus stated, his voice slightly off. This made me stand and stare at him.

"Then what are you doing? You know I'll get the phone bill eventually."

Narcissus' gaze shifted to the window before again falling to me.

"I'm reading."

"You're--Reading what?" Dionysus asked, genuinely saddened that Narcissus wasn't in love.

To this, Narcissus went through more shades of red.

"Nothing."


	5. Arizona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of Wine and Sentiment, but not the end of Dionysus and Eros. They just shimmy into a new title later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless filler. Still, thanks for the kudos and such!

_**March 9, 20xx** _

 

I could have gone back to Olympus the moment Arizona happened.

When I woke up tangled up with Dionysus in my own bed, I could have broken down the doors and demanded my godhood, but I didn't want it.

There was nothing like the sweet kisses that Dionysus gave me before he tried his hand at cooking- which, granted, was an up-and-down process- or the joy I got from having heart-to-hearts with Narcissus. Even when the kid was being a worse pain in my ass than Dionysus, it was better than the cold stares from the slighted deities in Olympus. Even the occasional pop-ins from an exited Persephone or the casual altercations I had with Hades occasionally weren't that bad. At times, they were nearly _welcomed_.

I say I could have gone back to Olympus, but I really couldn't.


End file.
